The overwhelming majority of oil filters made, sold, and used throughout the world utilize a single piece housing. In order to remove a filter element from a traditional paper/glass filter assembly one must cut the filter housing apart. If the filter assembly is reusable, one must somehow disassemble the filter housing in order to remove the filter element from the housing. The reusable filter assembly then must have the housing reassembled to make a complete functioning unit. This process is very time intensive and typically requires the use of tools and disassembling the filter housing.
One type of reusable assembly uses a single piece housing having an integrally formed collar defining an orifice. A removable locking element is provided and a cooperating structure between the locking element and the integrally formed collar allows the locking element to be locked and unlocked from the integrally formed collar to provide selective access to a filter element within the housing. Manufacturing of a single piece of housing having an integrated collar is cumbersome and it is difficult to provide tolerances necessary for a long life filter assembly. It is also expensive and time intensive. Further, manufacturing a single piece housing having an integrated collar for a reusable filter assembly limits the interchangeability of sub parts across multiple filter assemblies.
The present embodiment described herein is intended to overcome one or more of the problems discussed above.